Examining Relationships Among Nursing Students’ Views of Suffering, Positive Thinking, and Professional Quality of Life

Authors

Ruth A. Engbers, Marquette University
Abir K. Bekhet, Marquette UniversityFollow
Teresa Jerofke-Owen, Marquette UniversityFollow
Norah L. Johnson, Marquette UniversityFollow
Maharaj Singh, Marquette UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2024

Publisher

SAGE

Source Publication

Western Journal of Nursing Research

Source ISSN

0193-9459

Original Item ID

DOI: 10.1177/01939459241273395

Abstract

Background:

Exposure to suffering can lead to compassion fatigue in undergraduate nursing students.

Objective:

Guided by resilience theory, a cross-sectional, correlational design was used to investigate the potential moderating effect of positive thinking skills on the relationships between views of suffering, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction.

Results:

In 157 undergraduate nursing students, multiple regressions revealed that views of suffering and positive thinking explained 23.8% of the variance in compassion satisfaction (F11,145 = 4.121, P <  .001), and 21.9% of the variance in burnout (F11,144 = 3.786, P <  .001). The Suffering God view, which stresses the presence of a compassionate deity amid suffering, and positive thinking had significant main effects on compassion satisfaction (β = 0.349, P = .025; and β = 0.309, P <  .001, respectively). Positive thinking, the Suffering God view, and the Random view, in which the occurrence of suffering is random and purposeless, had significant main effects on burnout (β = −0.280, P <  .001; β = −0.392, P = .014; and β = −0.206, P = .014, respectively). The Unorthodox view, in which a deity exists that allows suffering, had a significant main effect on secondary traumatic stress (β = 0.232, P = .027). Positive thinking did not moderate any of the relationships between the views of suffering and the dependent variables.

Conclusions:

Knowledge of these relationships can aid in the assessment of nursing students at risk for poor outcomes and guide intervention development to promote professional quality of life.

Comments

Western Journal of Nursing Research, Vol. 46, No. 10 (October 2024): 744-756. DOI. © 2024 SAGE Publications. Used with permission.

Recommended Citation

Engbers, Ruth A.; Bekhet, Abir K.; Jerofke-Owen, Teresa; Johnson, Norah L.; and Singh, Maharaj, "Examining Relationships Among Nursing Students’ Views of Suffering, Positive Thinking, and Professional Quality of Life" (2024). College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications. 1029.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/nursing_fac/1029